


Fateful

by Pinx_B



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/F, Violence, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 16:58:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15645039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinx_B/pseuds/Pinx_B
Summary: Years after Sakuya's death, Remilia & Alice let their sealed emotions unravel in a bitter explosion as the blame game reaches its peaks...





	Fateful

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The chill of the evening sky lingered on Alice's bare arms as the winds whipped around with increasing intensity. She was crouched down and staring ahead, one hand on the cold slab of rock that her fingertips were tracing around.

It was the anniversary of Sakuya's death and the magician had gone to visit her grave that resided within the Scarlet Devil Mansion's gardens. A small enclave was constructed like an accolade to the woman's existence. The large tombstone that was embellished with the details of who she was always dug into Alice's mind whenever she read it. 

It was just _another_ reminder that Sakuya was long gone. 

Glancing around the area with wet eyes, Alice could see how much effort Meiling had put in to make sure the grave remained pristine regardless of the season. The gatekeeper missed her dearly, as did a Gensokyo that accepted the maid for who she was. 

Alice's nimble fingers scraped lightly down the rain soaked stone as her own tears slid down her worn out face. 

She had hoped that as the years fluttered by, the pain of losing Sakuya would have became bearable, _tolerable_ at least. 

Maybe to a point where it was just slightly less numbing to what she was currently feeling as she whispered Sakuya's name, the softness of her voice not failing to carry the anguish. 

 _"What ever happened to being the oh so powerful human, Sakuya? How could you let such a trivial thing like time take you away?"_ the magician questioned miserably, _"It was bad enough when Reimu died. Then Marisa. Sanae too. Then **you** just had to go and join them, didn't you? Such selfish behaviour"_ she smiled, barely, at her joke. 

The rain picked up, as if responding to Alice's words; a round of thunder and lighting scattering across the blackened sky. 

 _"Or was it because you were pushed to your limits, by **her**?"_ she added internally. 

Alice slammed her teeth against each other and grit them at the thought of the vampire. 

" _She worked you like a dog. That is why they used to call you the dog of the devil. She left that ugly brand on you"_.

"Alice". 

A snarl of a smile braced the blonde's lips at hearing the voice.

 _"Speak of the devil"_.

Slowly, she stood up whilst allowing the rain to blend with her eyes that remained heavy with tears. Hearing the vampire's voice was enough to replace the heartache she was feeling with a renowned sense of fury. 

Especially since they'd both agreed that neither would interrupted each other on this day. 

Remilia had all the time in the world to spend at Sakuya's grave since it was in her gardens. 

Alice carefully selected the times when she visited the site; either ensuring that the vampire wasn't around or that she was made aware to stay away when she went over. 

So to feel her voice, travel through the air and intrude on her peaceful moment with Sakuya pricked at every nerve residing in Alice's body. Nerves that were teetering on the verge of snapping if she was pushed far enough. 

Her fists clenched as she turned around to face Remilia, their eyes locking like predator to a prey. She had her parasol up which sheltered her from the rain that could potentially harm her & it made Alice wonder why she was out there to begin with. 

" _Why_ are you here?". 

Remilia couldn't help the smirk break her forlorn features at Alice's question. 

"I live here". 

The magician, on the other hand, was in no mood for the woman's scathing sarcasm, "Why..are you here, Remilia?". 

Remilia merely scoffed though her smirk disappeared as her red eyes took in Alice's drenched appearance. Her longer hair was stuck to her shoulders, blue eyes rimmed with redness, lips thin in aggravation. 

It was during Sakuya's funeral that Alice was last like this. 

Seeing her so physically weak almost took Remilia by surprise, her stance to toy with the puppeteer dropping. 

"I, needed some air" she replied, "It slipped my mind that you'd be here". 

"If you are going to lie, don't make it pathetic" Alice said with bite. 

"You mean like the way _you_ look right now, Alice?" the vampire retorted, "How long has it been since she died? You can't be consumed in grief forever". 

A flash of lightening highlighted the burst of anger in Alice's shimmering eyes at Remilia's cold words. All it did was reinstate what she originally thought; that the reason Sakuya died was because of _her_. Remilia didn't care, she didn't grieve, she felt no remorse and all it did was send tremor after tremor of unfiltered rage through Alice's vein. 

"You..you really are a callous being, aren't you?" Alice answered, her tone quiet but filled with danger, "Soulless, empty & devoid of knowing what it feels like to lose someone you love. Let's face it, you didn't love Sakuya. Not the way I do".

If the scathing words dug a hole into Remillia's conscience, she didn't allow it to show. 

The reason her own words had been so aggressive was not in fact to scathe the other woman but to help her. 

Truth be told, Remilia didn't want to see Alice in the state she was in. 

She promised Sakuya that she would keep an eye on Alice; she would've done it regardless. 

Alice was not privy to this and continued stammering words that were sharper than Sakuya's knives. 

"You can't even deny it, can you?". 

"There is nothing to deny. You need to get a grip. You are only making this worse for yourself". 

"Oh? Are you suddenly accustomed to the needs of others, Remilia? Do you suddenly care how others feel?" Alice sneered and chuckled sardonically. 

"Alice, that is enough" Remilia answered firmly and inched backward to leave, "I made a mistake in trying to do something Sakuya asked of me".

Hearing Sakuya's name from her mouth stopped Alice in her tracks, almost as if a wave of ice had brushed right through her. "Asked of her? _Sakuya_..".

Remilia didn't elaborate and pulled the parasol against her chest before sighing out," I'll leave you be" she decided to say in hopes of not riling the blonde up any further. That and the wind was picking up its ferocity, making the rain harder to avoid. 

"What do you mean?". 

"It's nothing". 

"You can't say something like that and then not finish it. What does Sakuya have to do with you bothering me?". 

Remilia shrugged and regained her condescending smile, "I do wonder how she managed to put up with you, honestly. You're so emotionally high maintenance".

"That is quite hypocritical coming from you" Alice fired back and wiped her forehead that was dripping. It was a good thing her youkai nature made her more resilient or else the puppeteer would've been struck with illness at this rate. 

"How quick you are to judge me for my actions.." Remilia answered and prepared to leave before adding something, "And if you must know, I loved Sakuya in ways that you could not imagine. So if you don't mind, keep your sharp tongue in check. At least on this day and in front of where _my_ beloved rests".

Alice took a steady breath in as her body began its process of stiffening. Listening to Remilia's nonchalantly phrased words about how she supposedly loved Sakuya more than she herself did was revving up her boding thoughts. 

To Alice, Remilia had no idea how Sakuya felt half of the time, all she was to her was a head maid. 

Nothing more and nothing less. 

Which is what Alice wanted to assume but even through her blistering anger, she knew that the vampire did care. 

Though, Remilia was making it impossible for Alice to remain at ease with each word throw her way. 

"You know, you were nothing but time to kill for her" Remilia lied, "Why you invested so much of your emotions into her knowing this sure is a mystery". 

"Remilia..".

The vampire knew what she had to do or else Sakuya would drag Alice down to the grave with her. There was so much pent up and reclusive energy inside of Alice at that moment that it was swallowing her. 

All of her sadness, her desperation, her loss over Sakuya hadn't combed into a package that could be handled. 

Alice took her path of shutting everyone out whereas Remilia had allowed others in for support eventually, which is why she could just about deal with Sakuya's death. 

Whatever had manifested inside of Alice as of now needed to be let out, before she succumbed to death herself and followed Sakuya's trail. 

So Remilia kept pushing her. 

She rolled her shoulders and gave her a grin, fangs revealed and eyes glowing in the darkness of the weather around them. 

"All the tears for a woman who only entertained your existence because she was kind and took _pity_ on you". 

"Stop it..".

"Well, that is my Sakuya after all. Always willing to take in those shunned in the shadows, the left overs that nobody wants. She did a marvellous job with you considering how happy you were". 

"Stop it!" Alice yelled out over the roar of the turbulent winds. 

"Why bother coming here, Alice? I can assure you that if it was you that had died, Sakuya would've barely glanced in the direction of where you were left to rot" the vampire laughed pitifully. 

The words felt bitter to say knowing full well that they were false but it was working; Alice's eyes had glazed over, an electrifying and terrifying aura taking over. 

 _"Sorry, Sakuya, your other lover is almost as stubborn as I am"_ she complained in her mind with a smile, _"Good thing we both work in the same way, as in, how much we love you"_. 

With one final blow, Remilia set off the ticking time bomb that Alice was since Sakuya passed away. 

"It was _you_ she never loved, the sooner you accept that, the quicker you can move on. She's probably happier now in the ground, away from you. I am having to suffer for your mistakes, Margatroid, me!". 

 

Before Remilia could blink, a vivid burst of blue covered her vision. 

The bullets came so abruptly and in waves; the vampire getting a stomach full before leaping backwards to avoid another round. 

Alice was up in the air and getting ready to declare a spell card before activating it. It was one Remilia had seen the blonde use before and prepared to counter it as best as she could which led to a chase of some sorts around the grounds. 

Remilia was in fact trying to move them away from the garden, away from Sakuya's grave. 

However, she'd only just managed as Alice let out another flurry of her skill attacks with dolls suddenly appearing from nowhere and surrounding the vampire. 

The magician was panting as each doll started to swoop at Remilia with the intent to blown up. 

She beat her wings erratically and sped out of the impact zone just as they exploded, shards of their corpses scraping down Remillia's wings and left a singe in the skin. She growled and spun around in the air before realising she'd lost her parasol. 

The water _burned_. 

Every single rain drop was dousing her body. 

It was subtle but the pain was there as she zipped and headed straight towards the magician. She didn't want to harm her but she had to defend herself. Besides, Alice was strong and wouldn't go down so easily so she activated one of her more difficult to evade attacks. 

Alice gasped as fiery red bullets dotted with black, covered the sky and headed straight towards her. 

She cursed and started dodging as best as she could, twirling around between the layers of intricate patterns. A few had torn through her dress that further exposed her to the elements but she couldn't slow down or else she'd be hit. 

She could make out Remilia's figure that was being made into a silhouette by the moon near the tower of the mansion. 

Upon closer inspection whilst trying to graze, Alice could see an unusual look on the vampire's face. 

Regret. 

"Why..does she look like _that_. This is her fault! How could she say all of those things.." Alice debated internally as the structure of the bullets eased and she could fly in closer, "She knows they are lies, so why, why go that far?". 

The anger regained its pedestal in Alice's mind as she barreled towards the vampire, not taking note of the missing parasol and the burns appearing on her clothes. 

She was seeing red; memories of her moments with Sakuya providing ammunition in wanting to hurt Remilia.

Sakuya made her smile like no other could. 

Sakuya made her feel normal. 

Sakuya made her feel loved. 

Sakuya was the home she craved. 

"Sakuya..isn't here anymore. It's _her_ fault!" she decided and slammed into the vampire without hesitation. 

Remilia hadn't noticed the magician's trek towards her, how calculated it was. She'd ensured that Remilia was distracted by the last place her eyes landed on before thrusting to the next place, causing an effect that messed with the vampire's peripheral vision. 

The air had been knocked out of Remilia as she plummeted to the ground with Alice still holding onto her dress. 

Their eyes met, both crying as Remilia smiled in a tired manner that only confused Alice that much more. 

There was something apologetic in the way Remilia was looking at her. 

The magician couldn't think properly, she couldn't act rationally. 

Ever since Sakuya had died, that was how she functioned and now, it had reached to disastrous heights. 

It was too late to stop it. 

Alice could not conceal the raw energy digging into her veins and oozing out of her essence. 

As soon as Remilia's back hit the damp gravel, Alice's fists were unstoppable. 

Already coughing from the impact, Remilia let the wounded blonde have her way. Her wings felt broken, her body was sore and the rain had burned through her dress which finally reached her skin. 

Yet, all she could do was watch Alice cry out and attack her with all the might she had left. 

"I loved her!". 

Remilia spluttered up blood. 

"You should've done something!". 

Alice was squeezing down hard on her stomach. 

"Why didn't you save her, Remilia!?". 

Her face was bruised and bloodied like Alice's knuckles. 

"You loved her too!". 

With effort, the vampire lifted a swollen hand up once Alice seemed to be losing steam. 

"Remilia!". 

The cool hand seemed to snap Alice out of her blind rage and realise what she was looking down on. 

"I tried, Alice. I tried to..do whatever I could to save her but.." she coughed again and winced, "It wasn't enough. I couldn't let _you_ , die as well. Sa-Sakuya would never forgive me".

"Me..?!".

Alice blinked rapidly as the rain washed her face which birthed another thought that made her frantically look around. 

"The rain, Remilia" she uttered and grasped at the parasol which had lain strewn near them, "I'm sorry!". 

She quickly propped it up and summoned one of her dolls to hold it above them. 

The gravity of the situation hit her when she ran her eyes all over Remilia who was barely moving under her. 

"You are too, self destructive.." Remilia swallowed after chuckling, "If I, had let you leave without this, I-it would only get worse. I needed to push you". 

Alice was crying softly as she placed one hand down besides Remilia's head on the floor and leaned over her. She brushed the light blue locks aside with her other hand and wiped at the blood whilst apologising profusely. 

"Sakuya used to say the same thing" she whispered. 

Remilia closed her scarlet eyes and reveled in the touch that was so different merely moments ago, "I'm sorry, though. I-went too far, Alice". 

The magician shook her head and took in a deep breath, "I guess I needed it. I hadn't realised what I was doing by neglecting you, hating you for something that even you had no control over".

"It truly is a bittersweet ability" Remilia replied and held the puppeteer's hand on her face, "But, I can't lose you either. At least I, I can stop this".

"Remilia..".

"Sakuya didn't leave y-you alone" the vampire strained and inhaled air, "She would never do that. We are here, _I_ am here. Okay?". 

Alice bit down the inside of her cheek to conceal the floodgates of tears that were threatening to emerge, only for different reasons would they pour out now however. 

In truth, the trio's relationship was just that; a relationship between the three of them. 

Even if Remilia and Alice didn't have a physical relationship, their connection to Sakuya, their love for her, would end up binding them. 

The woman they loved had given them a part of each other, be it inadvertently. 

A part the Remilia and Alice could now finally piece together and complete the maid's final wishes of them both remaining happy despite her loss. 

 

Carefully moving back and taking the vampire in her arms, Alice realised that it was pointless, they both knew that exerting all this energy against each other was pointless. 

They could repeatedly kill each other, fire out waves and waves of danmaku, punch each other till the skin on their knuckles scraped away, cry an endless river of tears, call each other every insult and profanity under the sun, tear each other out chunk by chunk. 

But in the end, it would never be productive. 

 _Nothing_ would bring Sakuya back. 

A part of them had always known and yet, it never deterred Alice and Remilia from having these showdowns, each more violent and volatile than the last. 

But now, Alice could allow the vampire in to aid with what she was going through. 

She didn't have to suffer alone. 

She didn't have to reminisce alone. 

She didn't have to simmer in her pain. 

Not when Remilia had gone to such lengths to help open her eyes. 

To get her to see that, so long as they remained together, Sakuya would never become a memory. 

She would always remain a part of their lives. 

As was meant of her fate. 


End file.
